During building construction, it is necessary to mark chalk lines on a variety of surfaces. Chalk lines or other colored substances run along thin rope or string are “snapped” to leave a colored mark in a straight line of said surfaces. The state of the art in one embodiment requires a user to anchor a chalk line to an attachment point and pace the length of the desired line, “snap” to make the line, then return to re-anchor the chalk line to another attachment point.
In another embodiment, a user obtains the assistance of a second user to alternately fix and move one end of the chalk line to make multiple lines. In order to recharge or recolor the lines, they must be reeled into the base repeatedly or they are unable to create multiple chalk lines. This repeated reeling takes a substantial amount of time whether there are one user or two. Additionally, the second user must also move towards the reel in order to retain a grip on the end of the chalk line, potentially putting him or her at a risk of a fall.
A plurality of chalk lines is common in siding or roofing projects, where many parallel lines must be placed across a surface which is elevated and angled or vertical. In some cases, scaffolding, ladders, or other safety devices are used by one or both users, which increases the time spent by one user to climb up and down each time the chalk line is recharged. Additionally, the climbing user faces an increased risk of fall or injury as a result of the repeated climbs.
There exists in the art a method of tying two chalk lines together. However, this marks the user's hands as well as risks a too-loose knot which comes undone during use or a too-tight knot which requires a portion of one or both chalk lines to be cut to detach them. The time lost to sever and re-tie lines discourages users from using this method. Over time, the chalk lines' length is diminished as the knots are cut out after use.
There further exists in the art a product where a single contiguous line reels back and forth between two bases. This product is expensive, unwieldly and only in use frequently on large-scale commercial sites. It is not easily portable by a user on a tool belt.
There is a need in the marketplace to accommodate multiple chalk lines operated by two users for high-frequency marking with chalk lines, such as in roofing and siding a building, framing or other construction processes. There is no current commercial embodiments of a coupler that can removably join multiple chalk lines. The present invention meets an unmet need in the market by introducing a structured coupler which maintains straight chalk lines while permitting a user to reel and recharge each chalk line between making multiple marks.